A Powerball player in California holds the only winning ticket in Tuesday’s drawing for the $2.04 billion jackpot, according to the game’s website, ending a string of 40 drawings that produced no winners and pushed the top prize into record territory.
The lucky ticket holder, whose identity was not disclosed, has a choice of taking a lump sum of $997.6 million cash or receiving the full amount in 29 annual payments.
The odds of matching all six numbers in the drawing – 10, 33, 41, 47, 56, and 10 – were 1 in 292.2 million.
The previous record for a Powerball jackpot was set in 2016 when three ticket holders from California, Florida, and Tennessee shared a $1.59 billion top prize.
The $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot ranks as a world record for a lottery top prize, according to multiple media reports.
The drawing, which had been scheduled for 10:59 p.m. EST on Monday, was delayed for hours when at least one of the 48 participating state lotteries needed more processing time, according to a tweet from the California Lottery. It did not identify the state in question.
Officials of the Multi-State Lottery Commission, which supervises the Powerball drawing, could not be reached by Reuters for comment.
Editor’s Biblical Analysis
And He [Jesus] said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” – Luke 12:15
There is no doubt that $2 billion, even after taxes, is a lot of money. We all can easily think of all the things we’d be able to buy, places we’d be able to go, and things we’d be able to do with access to such a fortune. However, we should not dwell on such things or covet what others have.
Rather, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”- Hebrew 13:5
Our treasure is not found in worldly wealth, which can only buy things that rot and pass away. Our treasure is in Christ Jesus and His free gift of eternal salvation and righteousness in Him.
Therefore, when you see reports of other people obtaining great worldly riches, do not envy them. Pray that God will lead them to use that money wisely to enrich the lives of others and to further build the kingdom of heaven and glorify God. And as Christ Jesus told us,
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:19-21
Copyright 2022 Thomson/Reuters. Edits and analysis by Jacob Fuller, FISM News.